REVIEW: ESPN MVP scores

Editor’s Note: Welcome to Yay or Nay, a feature for RCR Wireless News’ weekly e-mail service, Mobile Content and Culture. Every week we’ll review a new wireless application or service from the user’s point of view, with the goal of highlighting what works and what doesn’t in the mobile content industry. If you wish to submit your application or service for review, please contact us at rcrwebhelp@crain.com.
Application: ESPN MVP
Running on: LG Venus from Verizon Wireless
Yay: It’s like having ESPN in your pocket, only without the bulk. Service is free, if one is already signed up for Verizon Wireless’ Vcast service.
Nay: Have to sign up for Vcast service to get access. Plethora of tabs leaves home page cluttered.
We say: If you’re a sports fan and just can’t imagine being away from ESPN for more than 13 seconds at a time, ESPN MVP is a fine alternative.
Review: It seems ESPN has been involved in the mobile Internet for as long as there has been a mobile Internet. The sports giant has provided WAP-based services to nearly all the major carriers for nearly a decade, and even had a crazy idea to launch a mobile virtual network operator service using ESPN-branded devices. (Whatever happened to that wild idea?)
Well after flying a bit close to the sun, ESPN has come back to what it does best: provide access to its wealth of sports content. This time, it partnered with Verizon Wireless for its exclusive ESPN MVP offering, powered by UIEvolution.
The service appears very similar to what Mobile ESPN provided, with a scrolling tab menu on the left side of the screen providing access to the standard sporting fare like scores and the latest odds as well as more unique features like columns from ESPN columnists, fantasy sports and the ability to access sports information geared to your locale. The service also has a rolling score line on the bottom similar to ESPN’s television channels, which provides basic information to keep most sports fans in the loop.
Other options include streaming video clips from ESPN’s Sportscenter and audio clips from ESPN’s radio properties. Video quality was a bit above the standard fare, with very little buffering and a fairly good frame rate.
Despite a somewhat cluttered appearance on the home page, content appeared to load fairly quickly. The information also appeared to be timely, with headlines appearing on the mobile site nearly as fast as they do on ESPN’s Web site. However, video content on the mobile site seemed to be just slightly behind.
Pricing for the service is a deal — free — if you are already signed up for Verizon Wireless’ Vcast service at $15 per month. Compared with the standard information ESPN provides to its other carrier partners through WAP-based services, which typically are priced similar to Vcast, the ESPN MVP environment and extra content is a deal.
The only negative is that the experience is currently limited to Verizon Wireless, so the other 200 million wireless customers in the country are out of luck.